Thermochemical method of branding blank steel bands or wires



L. R. MALEYRE THERMOCHEMICAL METHOD OF BRANDING BLANK STEEL BANDS OR WIRES Flled March 8, 1947 Nbv; 21, 1950 Patented Nov. 21, 1 950 TH'E-RMOCHEMICAL METHOD F BEAN-DING BLANK STEEL BANDS OR WIRES Louis Roger Maleyre, Bordeaux, France Application "March 8, 1947, Serial N 0. 733,342

- In France November 1 2, 1945 Section 1, Public 'Law 690, August 8,1946 "Patent expires November 12,1965

Claims. 1

'My invention is concerned with a method whereby blank strap iron or steel wire travelling continuously from a wind out to a wind-up reel, for instance strap iron as used for packing'purposes, can be branded inmost conspicuous yet economical manner.

My method consists in oxidizing the-strap 'iron or wire throughout its surface in the course of its travel by electrically heating the same over a portion thereof acting as a resistance then treating the cooled out strap iron or wire locally with an acid with a view to partially remove the oxidized layer and finally removing all-acid residues by a combined neutralizing and washing treatment.

The acid treatment may consist iii-wetting the strap iron locally with the aid of an engraved roll, when the wetted areas will appear in blank on an oxidized,"e. g. blued background.

In amodification the oxidized strap iron may be printed-with a'resist and then passed through an acid bath whereby the oxid layer will be removed except atthose places thereof which have thus been printedwith a resist. The treatment is complemented with various washing; neutralizing-a-nd contingently resist-dissolving steps.

After all, a more-complete idea of my invention will be had from the following description in which reference ishad to the appended drawing wherein a plant for the application of the method according to my invention to the branding of strap iron is illustrated diagrammatically by way of example.

The strap iron that uncoils from the wind-01f reel l is passed between two pairs 2 and 3 of tensioning feed rolls. Same are mounted ininsulated blocks one of which is movable so that their spacing can be varied. Each block is connected with one pole of a suitable electric power source whose current is controlled by means of a rheostat. As the strap iron is fed along, the section thereof which lies between the two blocks acts as a resistance and as a result of the joulean effect the strap iron is heated up and thereby becomes coated with an oxidized layer by which its colour is altered.

Depending on the spacing of the roll pairs 2 and 3 and on the setting of the rheostat a uniform colour is obtained ranging from yellow through violet (shot) to blue.

Where the resist is to be printed prior to the chemical treatment the air-cooled strap iron is introduced between the pair of rolls 6 of the printing device which are adjustably pressed against each other. The purpose of these rolls is to move along the metal ribbon at constant 2 speed, and they. are positively driven in synchronism with therotation of the various elements of the printing mechanism as a whole.

The mark is printed on the metal ribbon by the stereotyped roll 5 which is inked from the -supply roll Bthrough the intermediate rolls I. The pressure is adjusted by means of a roll arranged oppositeroll' 5.

Upon emerging from the printing mechanism the strapiron'is led'over a guide roll 9 to' an acid bath 16 into which it is compelled to dipby-a vertically adjustable-glass partition H.

The bath may consist. of diluted hydrochloric or sulphuric or any other suitable acid. The ox-id layer will disappear immediately except at those places thereof where resist ha's'been deposited.

The strap iron'therea'ft'er'is led through a wasliing bath I2 across rinsing sprays 13, then long time. An emptying plug 18 is provided in the bottom or the tank for cleaning purposes.

Finally the strap iron is passed between a set of squeegees l9 composed of obliquely set rubber strips.

Thestrap iron then possesses aqui'te pleasant appearance with its yellow, violet or blue mark standing out on a blank background. With incised instead of raised characters in the stereotype a blank brand standing out-on a colored background would be obtained.

The strap iron is taken up on a reel '29 which is revolved at variable speed to account for the increasing diameter of the coil:

In a modification the application of a resist is dispensed with and the acid treatment is carried out locally instead of in a bath. This somewhat less expensive treatment can be performed in a plant similar to the one just described, whereby e. g. ablank brand standing out on an oxidized background will be obtained.

In this modification the superficially oxidized metal is branded with the aid of a stereotype moistened with an acid, for instance hydrochloric acid. The printing roller should thenbe made of some acid-resisting material, and the ink-distributing rollers are replaced by. a lowcapacity wetter fed from anacid fountain. The

strap iron is run from roll 9 directly into the washing tank l2 as shown in broken lines and thence through the neutralization tank i l and the gas-oil tank [5. In this instance the bottom water layer is unnecessary since the gas-oil is no more soiled with ink; its purpose is merely to coat the strap iron with an oily film in order to prevent, where sodium bicarbonate is used as the neutralizing agent, the formation of a sodium chloride deposit which might tend, by reason of its hygroscopicity, to cause rusting of the metal.

Where wire instead of strap iron is treated,

grooves should be provided in the wheels used for guiding, printing and pressing purposes.

Of course, some steps of the process may be modified or interchanged in particular instances. Thus, it may prove advantageous to have neutralization precede washing in order to stop the action of the acid right off.

In the annexed claims, it will be understood that the words elongated ferrous products are used to designate iron or steel straps or wires.

What I claim is:

1. A method of marking in succession at regular intervals a design on a blank elongated ferrous product wound in roll forni which consists in unwinding progressively said roll, guiding said product in proportion as it is unwound towards a rotary wind-up reel, and subjecting successively the consecutive portions of said roll in proportion as they are unwound to the following treatments performed at successive stations distributed along the path towards said wind-up reel: inserting successively said consecutive portions as resistances in an electric circuit so as to cause an electric current to pass successively through said consecutive portions and to heat said portions in order to modify their color by superficial oxidation, allowing the so oxidized portions to cool, applying on determined areas of said consecutive portions an acid to remove the oxidized layer, washing said consecutive portions in order to remove all acid residues, coating said portions with an oily film, and winding said portions on said wind-up reel.

2. A method of marking in succession at regular intervals a design on a blank elongated ferrous product wound in roll form which consists in unwinding said roll, passing said product in proportion as it is unwound against two metallic rollers at a distance from each other and connected respectively with either pole of a source of electric current so as to cause an electric current to pass successively through the consecutive portions of said roll in proportion as they are unwound and to heat said portions in order to modify their color by superficial oxidation, guiding said product so oxidized towards a rotary wind-up reel and subjecting successively said consecutive portions to the following treatments performed at successive stations distributed along the path towards said wind-up reel: allowing said portions to cool, applying on determined areas of said portions an acid to remove the oxidized layer, washing said consecutive portions in order to remove all acid residues, and winding said portions on said wind-up reel.

3. A method of marking in succession at regular intervals a design on a blank elongated ferrous product wound in roll form which consists in unwinding said roll, passing said product in proportion as it is unwound against two metallic rollers at a distance from each other and connected respectively with either pole of a sourceof electric current so as to cause an electric ourrent to pass successively through the consecutive portions of said roll in proportion as they are unwound and to heat said portions in order to modify their color by superficial oxidation, guiding said product so oxidized towards a rotary wind-up reel and subjecting successively said consecutive portions to the following treatments performed at successive stations distributed along the path towards said wind-up reel: allowing said portions to cool, applying on determined areas of said portions an acid to remove the oxidized layer. washing said consecutive portions in order to remove all acid residues, coating said portions with an oily film, and winding said portions on said wind-up reel.

4. A method of marking in succession at regular intervals a design on blank elongated ferrous product wound in roll form which consists in unwinding said roll, passing said product in proportion as it is unwound against two metallic rollers at a distance from each other and connected respectively with either pole of a source of electric current so as to cause an electric current to pass successively through the consecutive portions of said roll in proportion as they are unwound and to heat said portions in order to modify their color by superficial oxidation, guiding said product so oxidized towards a rotary windup reel and subjecting successively said consecutive portions to the following treatments performed at successive stations distributed alon the path towards said wind-up reel: allowing said portions to cool, applying said portions on an engraved roller moistened with an acid in order to remove the oxidized layer from the areas of said portions brought into contact with the projecting parts of said engraved roller, washing and neutralizing said portions to remove all acid residues passing said portions in an oil bath for coating the ferrous product with an oily film, and winding said portions on said wind-up reel.

5. A method of marking in succession at regular intervals a design on blank elongated ferrous product wound in roll form which consists in unwinding said roll, passing said product in proportion as it is unwound against two metallic rollers at a distance from each other and connected respectively with either pole of a source of electric current so as to cause an electric current to pass successively through the consecutive portions of said roll in proportion as they are unwound and to heat said portions in order to modify their color by superficial oxidation, guiding said product so oxidized towards a rotary windup reel and subjecting successively said portions to the following treatments performed at successive stations distributed along the path towards said wind-up reel: allowing said portions to cool, applying said portions on an engraved roller coated on its projecting parts with a resist in order to coat with said resist the areas of said portions of the roll which are brought into contact with the projecting parts of said engraved roller, treating said consecutive portions successively with an acid for removing the oxidized layer on the areas not covered with resist, washing and neutralizing said portions for removing the acid residues, passing said portions in an oil bath for removing the resist by dissolution and for coating the ferrous product with an oily film, and winding said portions on said wind-up reel.

LOUIS ROGER MALEYRE.

(References on following page) 5 REFERENCES CITED Number The following references are of record in the 2107249 file of this patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2:283:170 Number Name Date 2,283,171

1,580,748 Mamerow Apr. 13, 1926 6 Name Dajge Hepke FebTI, 1938 Fincke Apr. 19, 1938 Keuffel Aug. 29, 1939 Batcheller May 19, 1942 Batcheller May 19, 1942 

